Part time jobs for over fifties

Eliza_2

At the risk of turning into a touch typing bore, (wot me?) touch typing means neither looking at the keyboard nor at the screen. You look at whatever you are copying from, so a script or notebook or whatever, or if typing from your own imagination, you can look at the wall or at the wet cat walking all over the papers on my desk as I am at the moment. You are taught never to look at the keyboard or the screen.

Honestly I don't think touch typing counts for anything these days unless maybe you are looking for employment as a very senior p.a. or secretary . For standard admin jobs, computer literacy is what is important and knowledge of standard office applications. I've appointed admin workers/officers to work with me both in the NHS and local authority and that's what we needed, along with other stuff such as understanding of confidentiality, data protection, health and safety and the usual.

Concentrate on listing your personal qualities and also what you're interested in - that always shows on applications.

Getting my (rain) coat now!

Mrs_Arcanum

An alternative route into the job market is via agency work. Get on the books of a good one and show willing & you will pick up all sorts of current skills.

anamenottaken

Mistral001 wrote: »

Thanks to Eliza and LittleVoice for comments on touch typing.

Perhaps I got the terminology wrong. I just meant by "touch typing" learning to type while constantly looking at the screen rather than both screen and keyboard. It must surely be faster, but also means, I assume, that accuracy is increased. It looks impressive as well when you see someone do it!

I have done a bit of research since I mentioned touch typing in one of my posts above and it seems that touch typing, or should I say typing very fastly and accurately, seems not to have a qualification that you can put on a CV apart from as part of the traditional secretarial qualifications. If anybody has come across one, I would appreciate you letting me know.

Pitman provide 25-hour courses in touch typing with speeds of 20 to 40 wpm expected. (In broad terms that's beginners to intermediate level.) There must be other providers.

Decades ago I attended Pitman's in Southampton Row, London, for an intensive speed typing course (for those who could already touch type (and then we just said someone could type, the "touch" was a given). The end of course exam led to a certificate specifying the speed reached (providing it was accurate). Mine was about 66 wpm (on a manual typewriter) for typing for ten minutes - hard work!

t0rt0ise

Mistral001 wrote: »

I have done a bit of research since I mentioned touch typing in one of my posts above and it seems that touch typing, or should I say typing very fastly and accurately, seems not to have a qualification that you can put on a CV apart from as part of the traditional secretarial qualifications. If anybody has come across one, I would appreciate you letting me know.

Google search RSA Word Processing and Text Processing qualifications. Word and Text are slightly different. They are in stages I, II and III. You'd need II at least but they are very easy exams to do. I got stage III with distinction in them and at the time I was still thinking about each letter as I typed. Later with more practise I got to typing properly without thinking. It does take time though. I'm now learning piano which is the same process.. although much, much slower.. sigh.

Mistral001

The touch/speed typing debate has been very helpful. The consensous seems to be that typing speed is not very important and general computer and other skills are perhaps more important for admin work.

The debate on graduates versus non-graduates is one I could not care less about to be honest. All I am looking for is a part time job. I want to put effort into it and apply some lateral thinking as Eliza said. I am trying to focus my efforts rather than just making loads of applications and hoping for the best. I might have to do that, but my instinct tells me that it is not the best approach..

The admin jobs idea was good lateral thinking as I had never thought of that.

I have also thought of HGV driving or getting properly qualified as a welder (I do some hobby welding). There might be some more specialist similar jobs like that I could do, but cannot think of any that regularily employ people who start the job in their fifties. I perhaps do not have great people skills (it is not a crime afterall) so maybe the jobs that are open to me are limited a little.

I have very much appreciate all the suggestions. I will let you know if I come up with any more myself.

t0rt0ise

I always say somewhere in the blurb in my applications that I build my own computers because being a 50+ woman it tells them that I'm not the stereotypical older woman. Anything you can think of that shows you're forward thinking and not old fashioned or whatever you think their view might be, is good.

Mistral001

t0rt0ise wrote: »

I always say somewhere in the blurb in my applications that I build my own computers because being a 50+ woman it tells them that I'm not the stereotypical older woman. Anything you can think of that shows you're forward thinking and not old fashioned or whatever you think their view might be, is good.

Maybe back to typing skills again. Not very stereotypical for older men and all that.

Good points about forward thinking. Not resting laurels. I have maybe done that a bit much in the past.

PasturesNew

You said 'design' but didn't elaborate, have you looked at doing freelance design work? Maybe your design skills are transferrable and you might be better off learning some graphics/design software. Designers with software are needed in all design roles - just find out what the industry standards are in your town/region, then see if you can think of a niche market you can reach out to.

diable

What sort of design skills? and how in depth is you Excel skills and what else do you have experience in?

LittleVoice

t0rt0ise wrote: »

. I'm now learning piano which is the same process.. although much, much slower.. sigh.

Change your name?! Will it be the same?